Rail-joint.



V. DOMOGALLA. RAIL JOINT. APPLIGATXON FILED JUNE 12,1911

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

VIN CENT DOMOG-ALLA, OF SALEM, OREGON.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1912.

Application filed June 12, 1911. Serial No. 632,611.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VINCENT DOMOGALLA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, "in the county of Marion, State of Oregon) have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rail joints, and it consists in the constructions, combinations, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved rail joint, by which the rail ends and a locking member can be firmly clamped together with a uniform distribution of the clamping force on the several interlocked parts, thereby insuring a firm and rigid. lock under all practical conditions.

A further object of my invention is to provide an advantageous and durable lock rail joint, which will acteliiciently to pre vent battering and destruction of the interlocked parts by the injurious localization of excessive strains thereon; thereby minimizing wear of the rail ends and maintaining an. efficient look under conditions of long continued service.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding 1 is a perspective view, illustrating one our bodimcnt of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1, with portions of the rail ends broken away; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the joint, with the clamping member, or chair, re moved; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking member, andl ig. 5 is a perspective view of the clamping member, or chair.

Referring to the drawings, 7 and 8 indi cate thecontiguous ends of a pair of rails provided with end slots 9 and 10 extending from their bases through thickened, or re inforced, portions 12 and 13 of the rail webs l1 and 11. The end slots 9 and 10 are formed with parallel vertical walls pro vided with spaced vertical recesses 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 21 of uniform depth through the entire height of said vertical walls.

A rectangular locking member 22 is mounted in the slots 9 and 10, and provided with spaced lugs 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 31 of uniform thickness, which extend parts in the several views: Figure sl dably through the several vertical recesses into engagement with the upper walls of said slots; the several lugs slidably engaged within each rail slotconstituting spaced bearingsifor firmly and rigidly locking the rail end and the locking member 2- against relative angular shifting, or swingyin vertical longitudinal plane of said r:1 il..

A clamping member, or chair, 32 is provided with a series of longitudinal tapered ribs 37, which constitute a seat against which the interlocked member 22 and rail ends 7 and 8 are strongly wedged by inclined flanges and 34 on said clamping member for engaging the base flange 35 of the rails. The tapered ribs 37 provide a series of independent reduced supporting surfaces across the entire base of the locking member 22 and the contiguous rail ends, which will slightly yield upon the localization of ex cessive strains on any of the interlocked. parts; said reduced supporting surfaces onabling the rail ends and member 22 to be clamped rigidly together with a uniformly distributed clamping force, and coiiperating with the slidably mounted locking member 22 to minimize battering and wear of the rail ends by the injurious localization of excessive strains thereon under all practical conditions of continued service.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a rail joint, the combination of rails having end slots extending from their bases and formed with parallel vertical walls providcd with spaced recesses of uniform depth, a rectangular locking member mounted in such slots and provided with spaced lugs extending slidably through such recesses into engagement with the upper walls of such slots, a chair provided with a series of lon gitudinal tapered ribs constituting reduced supporting surfaces for'thc rail-ends and locking member, and means on said chair for strongly clamping said locking member and rail ends in interlocked engagement on said reduced surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

VINCENT DoMoeALm.

Witnesses:

B. L. TURNER, JULIUs G. Voon'r. 

